“We give children and families the chance to build memories as a family, outside of the rigidity and constraints of a hospital setting.”

Nurse
George Mark Children’s House

Our Care Team

Linda Ashcraft Hudak, JDChief Executive Officer

Our CEO, Linda Ashcraft Hudak, formerly served on the George Mark Children’s House Board of Directors for five years. Linda’s devotion to the mission and values of the House, coupled with the experience of serving on the Board, provides her with great insight into how to lead and operate the organization.

Linda has extensive experience serving as an employment law attorney in the public, private and non-profit sectors including the University of California, the California State University system, the Judicial Council of California, Contra Costa County and Fortune 500 companies. Linda was also a teacher in Oakland shortly after moving to California from her native Montana.

Linda and her husband Richard, a retired Colonel from the U.S. Army and a recently retired attorney, have resided in Walnut Creek for 30 years. Their two daughters, Schulyer and Whitney, reside in San Francisco, one as a founder of a start-up and the other as a tech attorney.

Kathy is the staff psychologist and President of the Board of Directors of the George Mark Children’s House. She has been active in clinical psychology for more than 30 years. She has devoted the last 15 years of her professional life to developing and sustaining the house, as well as working with our children and their families.

Kathy is also an adjunct staff member of Children's Hospital Oakland, where she spent five years as part of an interdisciplinary team that treated young oncology patients and their families. She has been a staff member at the Ann Martin Children's Center, a local non-profit organization that offers low-fee counseling services to the culturally diverse Oakland community.

Kathy is a member of several professional organizations including the American Psychological Association, the Northern California Society of Clinical Hypnosis, and the Association of Transpersonal Psychology. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology from the University of California, Santa Barbara; a Master of Arts in marriage, family and child counseling from Santa Clara University; and a Doctor of Psychology from the Illinois School of Professional Psychology. Kathy is married to Bill Gisvold and has seven daughters, one son, and eight grandchildren. Life is never dull at the Hull/Gisvold house!

Dr. Joan Fisher, the George Mark Children’s House Medical Director, is a graduate of the Stanford University School of Medicine with post-graduate training in pediatric hematology, oncology and bone marrow transplant. She received additional training in pediatric palliative care from the Center for Palliative Care at Harvard Medical School.

Joan is the director of outreach for the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology for Stanford University. Her work takes her to California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco and John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek. Wherever she goes, she takes the opportunity to integrate the principles of palliative care into the practice of pediatric medicine. She also spreads the good word about what happens here at George Mark. While most feel that this is only important at end of life, families understand the importance of good palliative care from the beginning of any journey that threatens the welfare of their child. For Joan, taking care of children with medical needs—and their families—while making every day their best day, is what makes the practice of pediatrics worthwhile.

Joan has lived in many places, yet the Bay Area is her home. She is honored to be able to serve this community in a capacity that she loves, and looks forward to many years of memories with the George Mark family. Joan and her husband, Allen Eskenazi, a pediatric physician, reside in San Carlos.

Check out the latest happenings

We have a variety of events happening for George Mark families and for the public. Please "like" us on Facebook to see what's happening at George Mark and with the wonderful organizations who generously support us.

Pumpkin Day | Picnic |Annual Celebration

June 26, 2018

Looking for something fun to do Friday morning? Come support George Mark Children's House & all the amazing folks who challenge themselves in the Alameda County Sheriff's Office SWAT Challenge! ... See more